63-65 2 door wagoneer on 80-83 2 door Cherokee frame?

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Billybob535
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63-65 2 door wagoneer on 80-83 2 door Cherokee frame?

Post by Billybob535 »

Is there any reason a 63-65 2 door Wagoneer body would not bolt to an 80-83 2 door Cherokee frame?

Would the body mounts all be in the same location?

I have read the wheelbase is the same - is that correct?

Would the 80+ 4 door Wagoneer frame be the same (same WB and body mount locations)?

I have searched but can't seem to come up with an answer for this.

This is just a what what if question not a why or how come so don't overthink it.

Thanks
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kansasboy001
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Re: 63-65 2 door wagoneer on 80-83 2 door Cherokee frame?

Post by kansasboy001 »

Wheelbase is different unless the 80 Cherokee was a narrow track. Most of them were wide tracks which just had wider axles. Frame was the same. Frame changed somewhere in the 70s. Body mounts may have changed
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Topic author
Billybob535
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Re: 63-65 2 door wagoneer on 80-83 2 door Cherokee frame?

Post by Billybob535 »

The frame donor and body donor would both be Narrow Track.
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tgreese
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Re: 63-65 2 door wagoneer on 80-83 2 door Cherokee frame?

Post by tgreese »

I don't think you're going to find a resource with exactly this information. The size and shape is correct to move the body to the newer frame. I suspect you would have to modify the body mounts for the older body to bolt to the newer frame. Supposedly the '80 up bodies were modified so that the floors will clear the new transmission, so that would need to change if you use the later drive train. IMO you can't expect the older body to bolt to the newer frame without some moving the mounts around and such, but within the scale of such things, I expect it would not be difficult. You would need to do some cutting and welding.

1980 model 10 (wagon) frame is one part number, regardless of the track width and body style.
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Billybob535
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Re: 63-65 2 door wagoneer on 80-83 2 door Cherokee frame?

Post by Billybob535 »

ok thanks

SJTD
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Re: 63-65 2 door wagoneer on 80-83 2 door Cherokee frame?

Post by SJTD »

At some point there was one less body mount per side.
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swampedge
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Re: 63-65 2 door wagoneer on 80-83 2 door Cherokee frame?

Post by swampedge »

The bodies will physically fit. You do have to change the body mounts but it’s not a big deal. It also leaves you with more lift options. The later model units with the longer leafs ride better as well. I’ve done the swap before but it was a long time ago and for some reason I think we had to do something to the rear frame cross member. Just do it. Make it fit like a real man. Lol


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